The Other Mission Field -
The Church!

by: Robert Somerville

"My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you," ( Ga. 4:19)

Saint Paul, the consummate missionary to the masses was also a missionary to the church. The word "missions" usually suggests an organized effort for declaring the redemptive gospel of Jesus Christ in new frontiers. However, in the foregoing scripture the apostle Paul appears to identify another mission field seldom perceived as such --- the Church!

In stating that they needed Christ "formed in them", Paul, in his Galatian letter, is not suggesting that the people be saved again or born again - again. It was not a case of Jesus being absent from their personal lives, but rather there was the absence of the form of Christ in the corporate setting of the local congregation. Paul did not say they needed Jesus formed in them, but Christ --- there is a difference. The name Jesus means "savior", while Christ means the "anointed" word. The form of Christ is a Biblical pattern. The Galatians had forsaken their Godly heritage and began taking up the "elements [ways] of the world." In this particular chapter he reproached them specifically for having adopted the celebration days and festivals of the gentiles and forsaking the Biblical ones, hence losing the "form of Christ".

Our historic drift from the Judeo-Christian motifs of scripture into a Greko-Roman value system is evidenced by the absence of Judaic contours in the body of Christ today. However a Judeo Christian awakening is occurring. A growing awareness that the foundations of Biblical faith are more accurately reflected in our Hebraic heritage is creating a renaissance in Christian thinking and understanding. Academics, Pastors, Church leaders, Biblical expositors, teachers and concerned Christians universally are beginning to re-evaluate the validity of many of our time-honored traditions and doctrinal concepts of traditional Christianity. These individuals could be identified as restoration missionaries. They are awakening the Church to important biblical profiles of the form of Christ.

The effect of this awakening has shown a dramatic increase of interest in such things as the use of banners in worship, dancing, the Christ centered celebration of Biblical feast days, observing the "Hours of prayer", drawing lessons from Biblical Jewish customs and values that are impacting personal and family life to name a few. Some express apprehension born out of a fear of Judaism and/or legalism. May God hasten the day when something is judged, not by whether it is Jewish or traditionally Christian, but by whether or not it is Biblical and Christ centered. True! many these things are not essential to personal salvation, but they are essential to growth as we conform to the image of Christ, anticipating and preparing for Messiah's return.